This past weekend at the Bloodstock Open Air in England, Cradle Of Filth's headlining slot on the second day was cut short after a giant gobstopper hit, and hospitalised guitarist Paul before the encore.

Cradle Of Filth have issued this statement:

"Cradle Of Filth would just like to apologise to all Cradle Of Filth fans at Bloodstock for not being able to perform the full length of set on Saturday. This was due to a selfish and stupid person in the crowd throwing dangerous objects at the band and injuring Paul, who then had to be hospitalised.

This person threw what were being sold at the site as 'gobstoppers', but which were actually heavy, solid, pieces of candy, approximately the size of a cricket ball and weighing close to a pound, at the band. Approximately 6 of these were thrown, one narrowly missed hitting Ashley in the face and also a terminally ill young fan in a wheelchair sitting side of the stage, a couple just missed Dani and then one hit Paul in the spine, causing him to collapse. The paramedics called an ambulance and Paul was taken to hospital with suspected spinal damage; where he was subjected to numerous tests before the doctors said they didn't think Paul had sustained any lasting damage.

This act of stupidity caused the show to finish prior to the encore, caused Paul serious pain and everyone else a lot of anxiety. This person is lucky that no one was seriously injured or worse, which could easily have been the case and a serious police matter.

Why does someone buy a ticket for a festival where everyone should be enjoying the weekend and having a good time and then have to ruin it for other people? A very selfish, sad person, one can only imagine.

So again, full apologies to everyone who was at Bloodstock to have a good time and to see the band and if you think you know who the person was that spoiled everyone else's evening, please let us, the Bloodstock staff or the Police know as soon as possible, because next time someone may not be so lucky."

Dani Filth also had this to say:

"No-one could be more disappointed than I about the ridiculous and callous incident that happened on Saturday night. Bloodstock is an event that we have long endorsed and looked forward to headlining due to it's united European metal vibe, it's growing popularity and of course, it being one of the better festivals held on English soil. The crowd, as expected, were great and we were playing well with an arsenal of songs yet to deliver, when the stupidity started. I actually thought one of the balls thrown was an apple and was going to head-butt it as it flew past my head and on toward Ashley, then luckily thought twice about it. The missiles were the size of cricket balls but solid and almost a pound in weight. Enough to kill a person at that speed, according to a medic who attended Paul behind stage.

Of all the years I have spent touring the world, nothing comes even close to this for downright sheer stupidity. My ten year old daughter Luna was also standing side of stage when the missiles came and although, thank the stars, she was unhurt, the incident indelibly left her frightened and more than a little shook up. This is NOT the reason I brought her along to witness a metal festival and this is certainly NOT the image I want her to take away from Bloodstock or indeed any other metal festival for that matter. I hope the perpetrator(s) are really proud of themselves (sic).

So again, I apologise to all our fans who were awaiting our encore and can only hope that this selfish bastard who TRIED to ruin the night for everyone is caught and sorted out. Hail Cradle! Hail Bloodstock! Hail metal unity!"

The Bloodstock setlist was as follows:

Shat Out Of Hell
Gilded Cunt
Dusk And Her Embrace
The 13th Caesar
Nymphetamine
The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh
Honey And Sulphur
Under Huntress Moon
--------------------Cthulhu Dawn
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids
Her Ghost In The Fog
From The Cradle To Enslave

A full review of Bloodstock Open Air 2009 can be found here:Day 1 - Day 2 - Day 3

And of course I feel the same way. I missed out of a third of the Cradle Of Filth set because of it.
They just don't think about all the things that can happen. Dani's daughter on the side, and the ill guy, etc.

Next year the security will be much higher at the festival, I am sure.

This deliberate hatred of Cradle has now officially gone much much too far. My brother was there when it happened and I was appalled when he told me about this. It is disgusting and pathetic that not one but seemingly a number of people would attend a set by a band they disliked just to cause trouble. You are the kids at school snickering at the back when others are trying to work aren't you? And it looks like some people never grow past that sort of infantile, counterproductive puerile behaviour. There are plenty of bands I dislike, but the idea of going to their set to disrupt their set is one I consider far beneath me. Bloodstock, like any metal festival, should be a place of unity for metalheads, where you can go and *not* be judged for liking more extreme music than all your friends. This should be a few glorious days in our lives when we are surrounded by hundreds of people just like us, before we go home to do our metal socialising online:erm:. People like this threaten the sanctity of such events. For shame.

Not huge on cradle. but come on. there aren't a whole lot of bright minds on any side of this spectrum. between the person selling the gobstoppers, the guy throwing them, and the frontman who a.) was going to headbutt something flying in from the crowd (bad idea in and of itself. b.) brought his 10-year old daughter to work and c.) is dani filth. refer to the rules of black metal, end stupid crap at shows and move on.

Quote Dani Filth
"I actually thought one of the balls thrown was an apple and was going to head-butt it"
"the missiles were the size of cricket balls but solid and almost a pound in weight. Enough to kill a person at that speed"

If he tried to head butt it then Dani Filth might have died... holy crap thank god it missed

This deliberate hatred of Cradle has now officially gone much much too far.

Honestly, this isn't just a Cradle of Filth thing. Any band that has an obsessive, cult-like, fan base has a counter-part like this. I'm not even surprised, tbh. People are fucking STUPID. The worst thing stupid people can do... is take music seriously enough to do twat things like this.

This news makes me absolutely furious. How could a person be so selfish as to throw things on stage that are capable of killing people. I hope with all my heart that Paul has a speedy recovery and thank God no one else was hurt. I swear, if someone would have been killed by this immature, negligent idiocy, I would wish the death penalty on him, as is just for such an irresponsible, selfish person. No one messes with my favorite band. COF forever and long live the Filth!

Although I can't completely condone such behaviour as throwing gobstoppers onto the stage (damn, I didn't know they still made those things!), I also have to admit that the premise of CoF being under attack by a "Hail[!]" of rock like candy is rather amusing. Not that it will disgruntle the band but, plenty of people certainly would like their disgrace in black metal to cease...unfortunately, more people support the band than those who are against them. Shit happens though, that's also just part of extreme music. I can recall reading an incident where a fan at a Mayhem show fell subject to a factured skull after being hit in the head with an air-borne sheep skull, then proceeded to try and sue either the band or the venue holder - honestly, what do people expect at a heavy, death, black or any sort of metal show? I can only imagine they served alcohol at Bloodstock as well. Booze,poseur BM and a 1lb of projectile ready candy equals disaster!

Although I can't completely condone such behaviour as throwing gobstoppers onto the stage (damn, I didn't know they still made those things!), I also have to admit that the premise of CoF being under attack by a "Hail[!]" of rock like candy is rather amusing. Not that it will disgruntle the band but, plenty of people certainly would like their disgrace in black metal to cease...unfortunately, more people support the band than those who are against them. Shit happens though, that's also just part of extreme music. I can recall reading an incident where a fan at a Mayhem show fell subject to a factured skull after being hit in the head with an air-borne sheep skull, then proceeded to try and sue either the band or the venue holder - honestly, what do people expect at a heavy, death, black or any sort of metal show? I can only imagine they served alcohol at Bloodstock as well. Booze,poseur BM and a 1lb of projectile ready candy equals disaster!

I'm sorry, I really don't believe extreme music must equal ridiculous behaviour. Only the weak of mind feel the need to emulate what they hear or see, hence programs like Jackass. I listen to Sonata Arctica, but I don't walk around in a big white shirt rescuing damsels in distress (although...). There are plenty of fans of all brands of black metal who are capable of conducting themselves with appropriate decorum. And while we're at it, Cradle of Filth's "disgrace in black metal" is purely subjective; you might say the same about recent material from Satyricon, Darkthrone, Dimmu Borgir, even Behemoth or Borknagar, or about the current popular trend of 'suicidal black metal' that Wolves in the Throne Room and their disciples are touting...people change their music, "Shit happens". People just have to learn to deal with it without resorting to projectiles.

At a football match when I was young there was a coin thrown at the goalkeeper, hitting him on the head and knocking him out. The crowd were so disgusted by the guy who threw it that they picked him up and threw him on to the pitch where the police arrested him.

No danger of people having the same social responsibility now. You are likely to be beaten up yourself if you try to stop anything. I know I sound like an old git for saying this, but people are not scared to break the law now, because they know that they will get away with it.

I was at bloodstock and I was really enjoying COFs performance, admittadly so im not a huge fan but im a fan nonetheless and I was disgusted during the whole set because ppl weren't just throwing gobstoppers but drinks were flying from everywhere. This was my first festival cause im from Belfast and dont travel over much and was really looking forward to it, so u can imagine i was quite annoyed myself....I hope everyone is ok and I really hope this doesn't prevent COF from coming back to Bloodstock in the future!!! or come to belfast please

Although I can't completely condone such behaviour as throwing gobstoppers onto the stage (damn, I didn't know they still made those things!), I also have to admit that the premise of CoF being under attack by a "Hail[!]" of rock like candy is rather amusing. Not that it will disgruntle the band but, plenty of people certainly would like their disgrace in black metal to cease...unfortunately, more people support the band than those who are against them. Shit happens though, that's also just part of extreme music. I can recall reading an incident where a fan at a Mayhem show fell subject to a factured skull after being hit in the head with an air-borne sheep skull, then proceeded to try and sue either the band or the venue holder - honestly, what do people expect at a heavy, death, black or any sort of metal show? I can only imagine they served alcohol at Bloodstock as well. Booze,poseur BM and a 1lb of projectile ready candy equals disaster!

I'm sorry, I really don't believe extreme music must equal ridiculous behaviour. Only the weak of mind feel the need to emulate what they hear or see, hence programs like Jackass. I listen to Sonata Arctica, but I don't walk around in a big white shirt rescuing damsels in distress (although...). There are plenty of fans of all brands of black metal who are capable of conducting themselves with appropriate decorum. And while we're at it, Cradle of Filth's "disgrace in black metal" is purely subjective; you might say the same about recent material from Satyricon, Darkthrone, Dimmu Borgir, even Behemoth or Borknagar, or about the current popular trend of 'suicidal black metal' that Wolves in the Throne Room and their disciples are touting...people change their music, "Shit happens". People just have to learn to deal with it without resorting to projectiles.

You're actually right about all the bands you listed - except Darkthrone, granted FOAD was a bit lack luster. But Dimmu,Satyricon,Behemoth and such, are a bunch of sell-out, trend whores. and thanks to America pop culture it's ruining black metal. Dani is definitely on that band wagon too, as I'm sure we can all recall the "Black X-Mas" Revolver issue a few years ago.
DSBM is indeed getting a bit more popular some how but, even Shining is showing a lack of quality - it's quite disappointing. WITTR though...I lived in Olympia WA where these guys are based and you know what... fuck WITTR and their hippy, poseur bullshit. WITTR are also huge hypocrites, I've no use for that shit band.

Although I can't completely condone such behaviour as throwing gobstoppers onto the stage (damn, I didn't know they still made those things!), I also have to admit that the premise of CoF being under attack by a "Hail[!]" of rock like candy is rather amusing. Not that it will disgruntle the band but, plenty of people certainly would like their disgrace in black metal to cease...unfortunately, more people support the band than those who are against them. Shit happens though, that's also just part of extreme music. I can recall reading an incident where a fan at a Mayhem show fell subject to a factured skull after being hit in the head with an air-borne sheep skull, then proceeded to try and sue either the band or the venue holder - honestly, what do people expect at a heavy, death, black or any sort of metal show? I can only imagine they served alcohol at Bloodstock as well. Booze,poseur BM and a 1lb of projectile ready candy equals disaster!

I'm sorry, I really don't believe extreme music must equal ridiculous behaviour. Only the weak of mind feel the need to emulate what they hear or see, hence programs like Jackass. I listen to Sonata Arctica, but I don't walk around in a big white shirt rescuing damsels in distress (although...). There are plenty of fans of all brands of black metal who are capable of conducting themselves with appropriate decorum. And while we're at it, Cradle of Filth's "disgrace in black metal" is purely subjective; you might say the same about recent material from Satyricon, Darkthrone, Dimmu Borgir, even Behemoth or Borknagar, or about the current popular trend of 'suicidal black metal' that Wolves in the Throne Room and their disciples are touting...people change their music, "Shit happens". People just have to learn to deal with it without resorting to projectiles.

You're actually right about all the bands you listed - except Darkthrone, granted FOAD was a bit lack luster. But Dimmu,Satyricon,Behemoth and such, are a bunch of sell-out, trend whores. and thanks to America pop culture it's ruining black metal. Dani is definitely on that band wagon too, as I'm sure we can all recall the "Black X-Mas" Revolver issue a few years ago.
DSBM is indeed getting a bit more popular some how but, even Shining is showing a lack of quality - it's quite disappointing. WITTR though...I lived in Olympia WA where these guys are based and you know what... fuck WITTR and their hippy, poseur bullshit. WITTR are also huge hypocrites, I've no use for that shit band.

Although we've come to this in a roundabout way, I'm glad someone else shares my view of Wolves In The Throne Room as a talentless ripoff band entirely symptomatic of trend and the desperation of some people to seem 'tr00' by listening to the most pointlessly meandering, shittily produced pseudo-BM they can find. It's so deliberately depressive and 'atmospheric' ...boring bunch of shit, old Burzum and Gorgoroth please, these little pricks will never reach that level of greatness.

Shit happens ! but I guess that alcohol shouldn't be served at all in a metal festival, ok in concerts for one or two bands it's okay to serve beer or something but in a huge festival it's not that great, cuz people may get drunk and be ridicules with their behavior ,I don't like Cradle that much and I am not a fan for Black Metal but I guess that "Black metal concerts may generate kind of hyper inside people but It's not the main reason for such things , and to be honest cradle is just Black in name and If I were Dani I won't bring my 10 years daughter to such atmosphere .......

Before I will comment on the event, I am going to say that I originally thought this would be about some trouble that Dani Filth caused. But I guess I was wrong.

I am not really one who is into Cradle of Filth that much, but the person/people throwing the gobstoppers is/are (an) idiot(s). The douchebag needs to be caught very soon! Sadly, since I wasn't at the event, I cannot help to point out who the idiot was who threw the six gobstoppers. The next news I want to see concerning this band should be news about Paul Allender's recovery and the bastard getting caught, or at least one of those two.

Sucks about what happened, hope the dude recovers quickly and nicely, and yeah, the jerk who threw the candy is a freaking idiot, but am I the only one that finds the insane amount of hilarity behind A GUY BEING TAKEN OUT BY A FUCKING GOBSTOPPER?! ROFL

Shit happens ! but I guess that alcohol shouldn't be served at all in a metal festival, ok in concerts for one or two bands it's okay to serve beer or something but in a huge festival it's not that great, cuz people may get drunk and be ridicules with their behavior ,I don't like Cradle that much and I am not a fan for Black Metal but I guess that "Black metal concerts may generate kind of hyper inside people but It's not the main reason for such things , and to be honest cradle is just Black in name and If I were Dani I won't bring my 10 years daughter to such atmosphere .......

No matter the band, the genre, the reputation, etc, there's no justification to that kind of stupidity. Even Britney Spears doesn't deserve to be killed by whatever would be thrown at her... If Dani or Luna or any other person would have been seriously injured or would have died from this, the bastard who did it would have been imprisoned, but since he wasn't a good thrower enough, there's no consequence??? Fuck the Police, fuck the governments, fuck the Law, this is a ridiculos masquerade. Hail Filth!